With UAE experiencing a sudden reported spike in the number of COVID-19 positive cases, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has sent all teams "strict instructions" to follow the health protocols designed for the safe conduct of the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL).
While Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) have already reached UAE, other six teams are also expected to fly across in the coming days for the tournament, starting September 19 amid bio-secure arrangements.
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A senior BCCI official told IANS that all players and team owners have been told to take care of themselves and follow the regulations in place.
"Strict instructions have been given to all the players, coaching staff, owners and other members. We don't want that because of someone's mistake, others get infected and suffer," the official said.
"UAE will provide all the help needed regarding safety of players (medical or other). The teams' owners have also been asked not to roam here and there freely because coronavirus cases are no less in that nation. After so many delays, the IPL is going to happen and everybody will have to respect it and be more responsible."
The breach of protocols of the kind England pacer Jofra Archer made ahead of the second England-West Indies Test in Manchester is the last thing BCCI would want from anyone involved in the IPL 2020, especially after all the planning and preparation.
The sixty-match annual T20 event will be held across venues in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah, and concludes on November 10.
